choose the right toothbrush for you

How to Choose Your Toothbrush and Toothpaste

At an early age, we’re taught the importance of brushing our teeth every day. However, many people don’t think about the quality of their toothbrush or toothpaste until it’s time to go to the drugstore to grab more. 

Once at the store, many shoppers will consider price and make a choice based solely on what’s available. However, with so many choices at the store, knowing how to choose the right toothpaste and toothbrush for you can help keep your mouth cleaner and healthier. 

When you choose the right toothbrush and toothpaste for you, regular brushing will remove sugar, bacteria, plaque, and food particles more effectively. For the best oral hygiene, brush for two to three minutes at least twice daily, especially before bedtime.

To find out what is best for your mouth, check out the tips below to help you make good toothpaste and toothbrush choices.

Choosing a Toothbrush Size and Shape

Have you ever noticed the different size and shape toothbrush choices? Tapered, rectangular, round, square are all choices. There’s quite a few and choosing the right one can seem daunting when you’re in the midst of it. 

As far as shape and size, you can choose whatever is most comfortable for you. There’s really no right or wrong choice, as long as your brush head is small enough to reach your back molars. But, if a particular shape bothers you, you can always choose another.

Choose Toothbrushes with Soft Bristles

There are three types of toothbrush bristles; hard, medium, and soft. Most dentists will recommend their patients use soft bristle toothbrushes. If a patient really doesn’t want to use a soft bristle and prefers a medium bristle toothbrush, it will probably be okay. But, hard bristle toothbrushes aren’t a good idea because they can damage teeth.

In addition, brush your teeth gently and allow the toothbrush to do the heavy lifting. Brushing too hard can irritate the gums and damage tooth enamel.

What’s the Difference between Manual and Electric Toothbrushes?

You might be surprised to find out there isn’t a massive difference between manual and electric toothbrushes. Both will effectively get the job done, but an electric powered toothbrush is a bit better at removing plaque and debris since the vibration lends to more micro-movements across your teeth and gums. 

Moreso, powered toothbrushes are a great choice for those that have limited dexterity in their hands and arms. Those with arthritis, carpal tunnel, and developmental disabilities should find a good electric toothbrush.

If you opt for an electric toothbrush, look for one that rotates the head, or oscillates, as opposed to one that only vibrates.

How Often Should I Change My Toothbrush?

For maximum plaque removal, replace your toothbrush every three months or when bristles begin to wear and look frayed. If you find yourself replacing your toothbrush more often than every two to three months because of the bristles, consider finding a toothbrush that has higher quality bristles.

What to Look for in a Toothbrush

  • Brush head size – Infants and young children should use smaller brush heads, while older children, teenagers, and adults should use a regular sized toothbrush head. Generally, a 1-inch long and ½-inch wide toothbrush head is the best.
  • Bristle design and shape – Round bristles are less likely to irritate gums. Furthermore, multi level and angled bristles are best for the average person. Though, people with receding gum lines should use a tapered filament brush since they have fine and softer tips.
  • Bristle firmness – Soft bristles are often best and recommended by dentists since they reduce the risk of damaging tooth enamel.
  • Handle size and grip – Choose a handle that is comfortable to hold while brushing. Generally, kids should have shorter and fatter handles, while adults can use longer handles. For a better grip, choose a toothbrush with rubber on the handle.

child tooth decay prevention with the right toothpaste

How to Choose the Right Toothpaste for You

Now that we’ve explained how to choose the right toothbrush, it’s time to talk about toothpaste. If you have children and adults in your family, you’ll need to buy more than one product. Because, when it comes to toothpaste, there’s no one size fits all product.

How to Choose Toothpaste for Children

When choosing children’s toothpaste, you should choose a product that contains fluoride. Additionally, look for a toothpaste with a flavor your child will enjoy. If you’ve ever tried to give a toddler something that doesn’t taste good, you know how important it is to find a flavor that tastes good to them.

You should also brush your baby’s teeth, but don’t give them fluoride toothpaste until around the age of two. 

Fluoride is important for brushing teeth, but it should never be swallowed. Since babies have a hard time not swallowing what’s in their mouth, it’s best to stay away from fluoride until they can spit out the toothpaste. So, while they are infants, brush their teeth with clean water. 

How to Choose Toothpaste for Adults

For adults, choosing a tube of toothpaste is a bit less complicated, but there are still a ton of choices to wade through. To make your choices easier, you need to take a look at the benefits provided by a specific product. For instance, if you want a whitening product, look for a toothpaste with whitening benefits. The same scenario applies if you have sensitive teeth.

Furthermore, look at the list of ingredients on the toothpaste package to know what flavoring, sweeteners, and other chemicals it contains. If the list is particularly long, there is a greater chance you will develop tooth sensitivity. To stay on the safe side, choose toothpaste with a shorter list of ingredients.

Look for toothpaste that has these ingredients and traits:

  • Fluoride – contains anti-cavity properties and strengthens tooth enamel to fight tooth decay
  • Tartar control – prevents a buildup of calcified plaque on teeth, which can result in a yellowish discoloration
  • Anti-gingivitis properties – contains antibacterial properties that fight gum disease
  • Desensitizing properties – soothes nerves in the mouth and blocks tubules in the dentin to prevent tooth pain; for prolonged and serious tooth pain, see your dentist, as this could be a sign of a more serious dental problem
  • Whitening properties – removes surface stains to keep teeth bright after whitening treatments

Look for Dental Products with the ADA Seal

Are you overwhelmed with all the information you just read? If so, keep this one tip in mind. Always look for the ADA seal when shopping for dental products. The ADA is the American Dental Association. To earn the ADA seal, toothbrushes and toothpaste must adhere to a strict list of guidelines created by dentists and other professionals from the ADA.

Ask Your Dentist!

For dentist tips and a dentist recommended toothbrush and toothpaste for your specific needs, ask your dentist on your next visit. Your dentist can also tell you the best way to brush your teeth and give a demonstration so you can go home and have the cleanest teeth possible.

Remember, regular check-ups and cleanings are just as important as proper brushing. While your new toothbrush and toothpaste help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy, a cleaning at the dentist can do even more to strengthen and polish those pearly whites.

Schedule an appointment to see a dentist or hygienist at Snodgrass-Kings pediatric dentistry located in the Cool Springs and Hermitage areas of Tennessee.